After 2 thoroughly enjoyable games of 5 player settlers on Saturday with friends a rule query came about. We all know if you have longest road someone can split it if they can build a settlement in the middle of it.However, can you build a road beyond an enemy settlement?Not sure I've explained that very well, let me give you the example that came up.

I had 2 long roads (6 each) seperated by just a single space. I had a settlement at the end of one of these roads. One of my challengers had his own road within 1 space of my settlement and enough cards to build 2 roads. Could he build towards my settlement and place his second road beyond it, preventing me from gaining longest road and winning?

Good question. If I'm understanding it correctly, then the answer is "no". You can't build roads through an enemy settlement. If a road of yours ends on an enemy settlement then it is effectively a dead end.

For example, if this was the setup:

--- --- S (where --- are roads you own and S is an opponent's settlement)

Then it would be illegal for you to build a road connecting to the one next to the enemy settlement.

We had this same issue come up tonight. I had a city built, and my husband came with a long trail of roads and tried to build roads through my city to the other side so he could expand into that unchartered section of the board. It is my understanding that you cannot build a road through another's city or settlement, but we cannot find it anywhere in the rules. You seem to agree with me, but does it back us up anywhere in the rules? Or have I misunderstood your response? Thanks!

I think the answer is no, but I may be misunderstanding the question. Assuming your setup looks like this:- - S | |

Where the "-" is one of your roads and the "S" is your settlement and the "|" is an opponent's road. In the above case, your opponent could not build any roads connecting to your settlement location. Your settlement has effectively ended his road at that spot. Though, you could build more roads coming out from your settlement. Hope this helps.